The Gift
by Larabeelady
Summary: Tony has something special in mind for Abby's birthday, but he needs Gibbs' help.


THE GIFT

By Larabeelady

Gibbs was down in his basement working on his boat when he heard the footsteps come in his front door. Listening closely, he recognized the tread as Tony's. He looked up and within seconds saw his Second in Command at the top of the stairs.

"Hey, Boss."

"Tony." Gibbs replied. "What brings you by? I'd think you'd have better things to do on the first sunny weekend of the year."

Tony smiled. "Yeah, I was out and about. Saw something, though, and wanted to show you and get your opinion." Tony came towards his boss with his phone. He handed it over to show Gibbs a few pictures he'd taken. "I found it at a little store when I was browsing today. Thought it would be great for Abby, but the ones I saw there were kind of flimsy and cheap looking."

Gibbs scrolled through the half-dozen pictures Tony had taken. "Yeah, probably used some type of particle board instead of a better wood. Particle board is cheaper, but you're right, it's a lot more flimsy. You thinking of it for her birthday?" He handed the phone back.

"Yeah. The ones I saw were about four feet high and maybe 2 feet wide at the largest point, and about 5 inches deep. I'd like to see one a little bigger. With some nice fabric inside and some shelves, it would be a great piece for her books or knick-knacks. Maybe some brackets could be added so it could be hung up?"

"Would depend on how much larger and on the wood used." Gibbs said, giving it some thought. "Some woods are heavier than others. To hang it up, it would have to be placed in the wall studs." He looked at Tony with a smile. "So, are you thinking a joint gift from both of us? You buy the materials and I put it together?" Gibbs had already had something in mind for Abby's birthday, which was about 5 months away, but if Tony wanted to go with this instead, Gibbs was agreeable. He could make his other idea for Abby at another time. And Tony was right, their Goth forensic expert would love what the younger man had found.

"Actually, no." Tony hesitated for a second, then said, "Boss, could you teach me how to work with wood? Watching you, I've kind of always wanted to learn, but wasn't sure if you'd be willing to show me. And I'd really like to do this for Abby myself, ya know?"

Gibbs was surprised, but gave Tony his usual half-smile. "I'd be happy to teach you, Tony, if you really want to learn. And you're right, Abby will love it all the more if you build it yourself. But we need to get started soon, because her birthday is coming up fast, when you're trying to create something from scratch."

"Then I say, 'let's get started'," Tony said with a smile.

"Tell you what," Gibbs said. "Why don't we plan on hitting the lumber store in the morning? We can look at the different types of wood and you can decide what you want to make it out of. Then we can purchase it and start some rudimentary learning tomorrow. Since it's supposed to be nice all weekend, we can even barbeque for dinner. Make a day of it?" Gibbs liked spending time with Tony. The younger man was fun to be around, especially when he was excited by something. Besides, he made a tasty barbeque sauce.

/

Tony showed back up at Gibbs' house the next morning. Before starting out, he and Gibbs talked about just what Tony wanted to do. Tony decided to forgo putting brackets to hang it up. Instead, he would make it into a floor piece. He told Gibbs the dimensions he wanted to make it and how many shelves he'd decided on. Gibbs showed him how to calculate how much wood would be needed, what kind of nails to use and how much stain or paint, depending on what Tony decided. With this information in hand, they set off.

Instead of going to one of the many big chain stores, like Tony was expecting, Gibbs took Tony to a smaller store. He explained that this smaller lumber store carried a bigger variety of woods, although in much smaller quantities. The owner was an old friend of Gibbs', and Gibbs had been buying all his wood here for years.

Gibbs introduced Tony to the owner, Wilfred Briggs. Wilfred smiled. "Nice to finally meet you, Tony. Jethro has mentioned you quite a few times. Good to put a face to the name, finally." Tony smiled when he heard that. Wilfred laughed when Gibbs said that he was going to be teaching Tony about woodworking. "Good for you, young man," he told Tony. "You'll be learning right from this one. Gibbs is a true craftsman."

"Oh, I know, sir." Tony answered. "He gave me a DVD tower for Christmas that he built. I love it. It's my favorite piece."

"Not 'sir.' It's Will. Now, what can I help you boys with today?" So Tony pulled out the drawing that Gibbs had made earlier. Will looked it over before handing it back. "So, what kind of wood are you thinking about?"

"I don't know," Tony replied. He looked at Gibbs. "Boss is the expert. I don't know one type of wood from another, or what kind would be best for this piece. But he said you had the best variety around."

So Tony was gently tutored by both men as to the different types of woods available, the pros and cons of each and their suggestions for which would be best suited for this important project. Gibbs and Will shared a smile as Tony returned to one piece of wood, running his hands over the grain. Gibbs sometimes chose the wood for his projects based on how they felt in his hands. Tony seemed to be doing the same. This wasn't something Gibbs had talked to the younger man about, Tony was doing it instinctively.

Once Tony had made his decision, approved by Gibbs, they purchased enough to make the piece and a little more for Tony to practice on or in case mistakes were made. They loaded up the wood, said their goodbyes to Will, and headed out. They made a quick stop by the grocery stores for the supplies needed for their barbeque dinner, grabbed lunch at a drive-thru burger joint, then headed back to Gibbs' house.

After putting away the groceries and quickly downing their burgers, they unloaded the lumber into the basement. Then Gibbs started to show Tony the fundamentals of woodworking.

/

Over the next couple of months, Tony spent a good portion of his off-duty time at Gibbs' house, learning and working. He found the older man to be much more patient a teacher in this setting, than he was a boss at work.

"Measure twice and cut once, Tony. That holds true no matter what you are working on."

"Sand with the grain, never against it."

"Once you've counter-sunk the nails, use the putty to cover them up, then sand away the excess. That way, it'll be smooth for painting or staining. Have you decided which one you're going to do yet?"

Tony found he was enjoying spending time with Gibbs. But even more, he really was enjoying working with the wood. He understood now why Gibbs found it so relaxing. Sometimes, he and Gibbs would both be working on their individual projects and wouldn't say anything for hours. Tony chuckled softly.

"What?" Gibbs asked.

"Just thinking that if Tim and Ellie could see me now, they wouldn't believe I could be quiet for so long."

Gibbs smiled, "You'd probably have to call Ducky to treat them for shock, that's for sure. No yaba-yaba needed right now."

Tony laughed as he laid down the sandpaper he was using and stretched his shoulder muscles. "I'm getting kind of hungry, Boss. What about you?"

"I could eat. What did you have in mind?"

"Pizza!" both men said in unison.

/

**One week before Abby's birthday**

Tony stood back, watching, as Gibbs walked around the finished piece. He held his breath, waiting for the older man to pass judgment. Tony thought it was good, but it was his first piece, and it _was_ for Abby. So Gibbs would make sure it was as good as could be.

"It looks good, Tony," he finally said. He pushed on the piece slightly, making sure it was sturdy. It didn't wobble at all. "I'm glad you went with a stain instead of paint."

"Yeah, I really like the grain of the wood, didn't want to cover it up. That's why I decided to not put any fabric inside, either."

"The stain is a nice warm color. It will fit in well with the rest of Abby's living room furniture. And you did great with the carving on the top. You've really got a talent for it. That's some fine work."

Tony smiled, even as his face reddened with embarrassment at the praise. He'd seen the carvings that Gibbs had done, especially for Mike Frank's coffin. Having Gibbs praise his talent was special. "Thanks. I had a great teacher. So, you think Abby will like it?"

Gibbs chuckled, "No, I think Abby will love it!" Gibbs walked over and put a hand on Tony's shoulder, squeezing gently. "I mean it, Tony. For your first piece, it's beautiful. And you really do have a deft hand for carving. You are gonna continue, aren't you? I'd love to see what else you could build."

"I'd like that. I've really enjoyed this, it surprised me how much."

"Well, you have an open invitation to use my basement and tools anytime," Gibbs said. "Even when I'm not here." He looked around the room. "You know, I could clear out that area under the stairs, and we could rig a light up. That way, there would be room for both of us to work on bigger projects simultaneously."

"Awesome. That would be great. Boss, thanks. This really means a lot to me and I've had a blast learning. You're a great teacher."

"It's meant a lot to me, too, Tony. It's nice, being able to share this with you." Gibbs dumped out two jars of nails, and poured a small amount of bourbon into each, then handed one to Tony. "You know, my dad is the one that taught me how to do this. I kind of feel like I'm passing it on to the next generation. You're like a son to me, so it feels right that I'm teaching you. Maybe, in the future, if you have kids, you can teach them."

Tony couldn't hold back the smile that bloomed on his face. "If I do, and they want to learn, I will. As for being like a son to you, I wish I was your son, Boss. You're the father I wish I'd been raised by. You're still closer to me than my own dad, even though he and I are at least on speaking terms now."

Gibbs smiled at that. He liked that he and Tony were close. They felt even closer now, having spent so much time together lately. Gibbs had even started showing Tony sign language. Tony was practicing daily with both Gibbs and Abby. Tony was good enough at it by now, that Gibbs was working on getting Tony certified to become an interpreter for the Agency. Gibbs and Abby both were. That way, the agency could call on any one of them, should it be needed.

"So, when are we going to take our pieces over to Abby's? Her birthday is next week," Tony asked.

"I usually take her out for dinner the night before," Gibbs replied. "We could drop the pieces off, then all three of us go out for dinner."

"I'm good with dropping both pieces off then, Boss, but I think I'll pass on dinner. Abby looks forward to having you all to herself. That's your special tradition and I don't want to interfere. But I'll come over and help you load the pieces, follow you to her place and unload, then go on my way. Sound good?"

"Sounds like a plan to me. We're not on call, so you want to get over here about 4 PM and we'll load up? I told Abby I'd be at her place at 5." Gibbs refilled his glass, quirked an eye at Tony, who shook his head. "So, now that you're getting into this, want to help me with a home project? I was thinking about building a deck out back, with a railing. Could use some help."

"I'd like that, Boss. Just tell me when."

/

**The night before Abby's Birthday-her apartment**

Abby opened the door at the knock, surprised to see Tony when she'd only been expecting Gibbs. "Tony, I didn't know you were coming, too!" She smiled at her second favorite person at NCIS, and gave him a hug. "Are you joining us for dinner?"

"No, Abs. I'm just helping deliver mine and Gibbs' gifts for you. Mine was too big to give you at work. And since it's for your place, thought it would be easier to drop it off to you here."

Abby's eyes widened at that. "Wow. A big gift, huh? I feel so special. Not that I don't love the black roses. What is it? I can't wait to see."

Tony and Gibbs both laughed at Abby's almost childlike enthusiasm. "Let's get this one in first, Abby, then Tony's." Both men went into the hall and lifted the piece at each end. Abby's eyes lit up when she saw the custom headboard Gibbs had made for her bed. She followed as they carried it into her bedroom. Gently curved at the top, sanded and stained a dark mahogany color, Abby could see the carvings of skulls and bats all across the top. "Oh, Gibbs, I love it! It's perfect!" She ran a hand over it, loving the almost satiny feel of the piece.

"Well, I know you're getting rid of the coffin-bed. I thought this would make the new bed a little less of a culture shock for you," Gibbs joked. "I've got the hardware to attach it to your new bed. I can do that tomorrow, if you want."

She nodded. "I'll be back from mass about 1 PM."

"Then I'll be here. Tony, let's go get your piece." The two men left Abby admiring the piece as they returned to Gibbs' truck to get Tony's gift.

They carried the gift up to the apartment and into the living room. Then Gibbs called to her. "Abby, come out and see what Tony has for you."

The young woman skipped out of her bedroom over to the two men, but stopped and stared at the piece between them. "Oh, Tony!" She reached out a hand and reverently touched it. "Where did you get this? I love it."

Tony smiled shyly. "I made it for you. Gibbs has been showing me how."

She stared at Tony in awe. "You made this?" She looked at Gibbs for confirmation and he smiled and nodded.

"Did all the work himself, Abs. He's really good."

The piece was about five feet high and three feet at its widest point and about eight inches deep. It was shaped like a coffin, and stained a warm honey color. It had five shelves at varying heights. Abby ran a hand over the piece, noting that it was just as smooth as the headboard Gibbs made. As she ran her hand over the top, she felt a carving. Looking closely at it, her eyes filled with tears. She turned to Tony, and hugged him as hard as she could. "It's so perfect. It looks just like Kate's drawing. How did you do that?" With one arm still around Tony, she ran her hand over the top, fingering the carving that Tony had done. It was a perfect replica of the sketch that Kate had made of a bat with Abby's face. Abby treasured that sketch, done for her shortly before Kate's death. She'd framed it and hung it up on the wall in her lab.

"I made a copy of your sketch one day while you were at lunch. I knew I wanted to add something to the top, and it just seemed like the right thing to put there. I miss Kate every day and I know you do, too."

She nodded. "Tony, it's so beautiful. And the carving, it makes it like Kate had a hand in the gift, too. Like a double gift. Gibbs is right, you're really good at this." She kept running her hand over the piece.

Tony kissed her on the cheek, smiling. He was thrilled at her reaction. "I'm glad you like it. I'm going to go and let you and Gibbs get to dinner. Happy Birthday, Abby."

"Tony, are you sure you won't go to dinner with us?" Abby asked.

"Nope. Dinner is your special tradition with Gibbs, just the two of you. Just like he always takes me out for a special lunch on my birthday. I'll leave you to it. You two have a good time." With that, Tony left the apartment with a smile on his face.

Abby couldn't take her eyes off the piece. "Wow, Gibbs. Both of you are so talented. A new headboard and this. I can't believe it." She hugged the older man, swiping at her teary eyes.

"Are you ready for dinner?" Gibbs asked.

"Yeah, in just a minute. Hold on." She dug her phone out of her purse and headed into her bedroom. A few minutes later, she came out and took pictures of the case Tony had made. "I'm so going to be the envy of everyone I know when I show them pictures of my gifts from my two favorite guys."

/

Monday at NCIS, everyone who ventured into Abby's lab was shown pictures of her gifts from her two 'craftsmen'. Abby couldn't stop smiling every time she showed the pictures. Folks there already knew about Gibbs' talent, but they were blown away by Tony's. Most were impressed, but a few were doubtful that Tony had actually done the work. Those few didn't much like anything that Tony did, so their attitude didn't really matter much to the man. For him, it was really all about Abby. She loved the piece and that was enough for him. Even those that stopped by his desk to tell him what fine work he'd done were greeted with a simple 'thank you.'

Near the end of the day, Gibbs dropped a form on Tony's desk. Tony picked it up with a quizzical look on his face. "Approval request for Secondary Employment? Boss, what's this for?"

"Just in case you decide to start making pieces for profit. From some of the things I've heard around here today, you might get some requests…this form needs to be filled out if you charge for anything other than materials. Just something to keep in mind." Gibbs walked over to his desk.

Tony looked at the form for a minute and put it away. He'd think about it, and talk it over with Gibbs, but wasn't sure he wanted to turn this into a business. He enjoyed doing it, but didn't know if that would change if he was trying to meet deadlines for customers. For now, he was content with how things stood. Making gifts for family and friends, something special for those he loved.


End file.
